The Barbados Sugar Cane Experiments. 



By J, B. Harrison, M.A.^ F.G.S., F.C.S., Etc., Government Analytical 



Chemist. 



N 1879 the establishment of manurial experi- 

 ments with the sugar cane was contemplated 

 by the Government of Barbados, and upon my 

 appointment in May of that year to the post of Island 

 Professor of Chemistry and Agricultural Science, before 

 I left England I received instru6tions to make myself 

 acquainted with the methods employed in experimental 

 agricultural research, and I was enabled to do this 

 through the kindness of Sir JOHN Lawes and Dr. Gil- 

 bert, who invited me to visit Rothamsted and study the 

 the methods there used. On account of the satisfa6tory 

 prices which were obtained for sugar in 1880 and the 

 two following years, and of favourable climatic condi- 

 tions producing large crops, the matter was dropped, or, 

 rather, was only spasmodically alluded to. 



Sir William Robinson, then Governor of the island, 

 however, fully recognised its importance and informed 

 me that as soon as the Reformatory and Industrial 

 School which was then proposed to be established at 

 Dodds was fairly started, he would take steps to enable 

 such experiments to be carried on there. He consulted 

 Mr. Morris, at that time Direflor of the Botanical 

 Department in Jamaica, upon the subjeft, who advised 

 him that it was desirable experiments should be made 

 with varieties of canes in order that a kind preferable 

 to the Bourbon cane might be found. Sir WILLIAM 

 referred this matter to the Agricultural Society, who 



